A Battersea cyclist’s bike was left unrideable after being hit by cars twice over about one week last month.
Public health registrar Sara Bainbridge, 32, on both occasions discovered her primary means of transport was damaged where it was locked up on the pavement outside her flat.
It comes as Wandsworth Council on Friday launched a consultation on installing 111 new bike storage hangars on 74 of the borough’s residential roads.
Bainbridge said: “My message is to Wandsworth Council.
“If they’re really serious about making this borough cycling friendly, good for people to get out and about and do some physical activity, and also to combat climate change, then they really have to make it much easier for people to own and use and store their bikes.”
She said she’s waited for additional storage for two and a half years, noting spots in a cycle hangar installed after a previous consultation were soon taken.
Bainbridge also stuck a frustrated message to the lamppost where she locks her bike up for whoever was responsible for what happened.
Toby Hopkins, 54, coordinator for Wandsworth Cycling Campaign, a branch of the London Cycling Campaign said his group is optimistic the proposed bike hangars will be added.
He added: “We’re delighted that the council is consulting now on 111 bike hangars to install.
“We’re absolutely confident that the vast majority of those consultations are going to be successful because of the enormous demand for safe cycle storage.”
There will be six cycle spaces in each new hangar and, should the full 111 go ahead, that will make nearly 170 hangars throughout the borough, according to a council press release.
However, this on-street storage consultation is not all the council is doing.
Housing estates in Wandsworth will be receiving 15 bike hangars, of which seven will be in Roehampton.
These hangars will be directly outside residential blocks and are in addition to the three dozen currently present on estates.
Cllr John Locker, cabinet member for transport, said: “Making it easier for local people to switch to two-wheeled transport is a key element of our commitment to tackle climate change which will be at the heart of all town hall policies between now and 2030.”
To participate in Wandsworth council’s bike hangar consultation click here.
Featured image credit: Nick McAlpin
